The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-07-27
MARRIED AT MIDNIGHT.
An Uncommon Sight on the Platform of 9
Pullman SIeeper

AN CnCO nmOu SlSnt inc flaIform OF q
Pullman Sleeper.
The unconventional, If not romantic,
wedding which took place on the
Northern Pacific train at Rathdrum SUM-
day evening" asa "Dicaic' for the pasen-
gers. Mr.. w. ii. Broome, from New
York, who came out to superlntend the
pyrotechnic display In Portland on the
Fourth, was passenger, and gave full de-
tails of the wedding. The bride is Mrs A..
A. Mitchell of Minneapolis. aged about
thirty-fve. Thegroom is Mr.. B. f. Back,
well-to-do grocer of Spokane Falls
where he has lived about a year. He is
about fifty years old. They made each
others acquaintance several years ago in
Madison, Wis. Each moved to Mime.
apolis. About the middle OF this month
Mrs. Mitchell secured divorce from her
husband, and on Thursday of last week
started West to meet her new husband,
taking passage in the Pullman sleeper
Dickson, under command of Conductor
George Carter. There were ak through
lady passengers and a dozen or more gentle
men, among them Mr.. +. Z. Rice, snperin-
tendent of the Pullman Car Company at
st. Paul.
The train was due at Rathdrum about .
p NJ, but did not arrive until midnight.
Mr.. Buck intended to be married on the
train in Washington Territory, just after
the train had crossed the Idaho line, and
had taken the Rev. Mr.. Bebe, of Spokane
Falls, along to perform the ceremony.
While he was waiting at Rathdrum for the
delayed train he decided to be married in
Idaho, and fortunately found justice of
the peace. Under the laws of Idaho no
license is necessary. The train stops for
water at Rathdrum. Mr.. Buck hurried
into the car, found the bride waiting de-
spite the late hour, led her to the rear plat
form of the Pullman, and there they were
married. The couple stood at each side of
the door, the squire in front of them, and
the two official witnesses, Paul f. Moher
and Ned Rice, Just inside the car. Near
them stood Scotch missionary, en- route
to Alaska. The justice, a good-natured
little man, tilted his hat on the back of
his head, took out lead pencil, and sort
OF marking time with it as a conductor
does with baton, began:
'Plesse join bands"
Addressing groom:
do you take this woman to be your law
ful wifeP'
Groom: do.
Addressing bride:
do you take this man 10 be your lawful
husband?"
Bride: do.
Addressing both:
Then un0sr the authority conferred
me by the Territory of Idaho, pronounce
you husband and wife, and what God hath
Joined together let no man put asunder."
Then, fearing the train would start off with
him, he stepped Of the car to the station
platform, and called out in the darkness to
MIR. Buck: "pl sign these papers and
send them down on to-m0rrov's tram"
The groom called him back and handed
him a coin. The squire looked at in, re-
turf ed thanks, and exclaimed, "I'll set it
up fine for the boys on this.n
The Scotch missionary ws S. almost dumb
with astonishment. Recovering his speech
he said to Mr.. Rice:
Mon, is this legal? Do they do things
laak that in this koontry?"
Mr.. Rice assured hum that this celemony
was strictly legal, and that it took no more
time to hang and bury a man in Idaho.
Mr.. Rice went to his wife's berth, awoke
her, whispering so it could be heard to the
further end Of the car:
Been a weddin' weddin' on the train ~
Mrs. Rice, half awake, half asleep, turned
over, trying to collect her scattered senses
mutteriDg:
"Eh? what? wedding? who?"
Then in jerky, exasperating way which
a person wide awake could scarcely under
stand, he told about the episode which had
Just occurred on the platform. This was
two California ladies who occupied the sec
ton opposite Mrs. Rices. Finally Mrs
Rice, thoroughly nervous and excited al
the manner of her husband IS recital of the
story, asked appealingly:
Now, Ned, do sit down; sit down quiet
~ and calmly, and tell it all over and tell
it slowly" He did so, the two California
ladies with heads stuck out through the
portiere being attentive listeners.
In few minutes all the ladies in the car
had made themselves presentable. The
bride and groom, who had been chatting
with some gentlemen in the smoking-room
row came into the car and received con
glatulstions at all hands. Mrs. Buck apol
ot lied to the ladies, saying she expected K
be married at ? in the afternoon, and i
Il e train had not been late all Of then
could have witnessed the ceremony. Thel
she threw off her buster and, standing up
| asked:
"HOw do you like my dregsP I've ha(
it on since o'clock this morning." 1t wa
a rich brown silk with profusion of W hit
lace about the. neck and sleeves. She wor
fswn-colored kid gloves. The books whicl
the bride read on the trip out were "raa
gled Lives" under a Shadow" ''Wooe
sId Married" and "Lost and Won. Port
lend Oregonian.